Whisky Reviews
Here you'll find honest opinions, thoughtful analysis and the occasional disagreement, because no two palates are quite the same. We review widely, score reluctantly and remain convinced that whisky is far more interesting than the numbers attached to it.
Agreement is optional; curiosity is encouraged.
Ardnahoe 6yo Chairman’s Selection
Due to recent fortunes, Archie has struggled to breathe. His work needs attention and whisky has suffered. It takes something as big and punchy as this Ardnahoe Chairman’s Selection to bring him up for air.
Glasgow 1770 Sherry Cask Matured 6yo
Earie has been chewing hard on wood vs spirit and how it comes into play, especially at a young age. He shares his thoughts over a Glasgow 1770 6yo Sherry Cask Matured, Batch 01.
Kilchoman Islay Series - The Vineyard
Ogilvie conducts a social experiment while visiting Martha’s Vineyard - how many polite Good Mornings are returned on his walkabout? He picks up his Vineyard exclusive Kilchoman too.
Strathenry 6yo - Inchdairnie
One of the team has been MIA in recent times, we discover why as life pops up with an unexpected curveball. He shares over a bottle of Strathenry from the Fragrant Drops affordable ‘Elevenses’ series.
Bunnahabhain 6yo Peated SMoS
It turns out Fergie has a fear - of lightening strikes. His childhood story of why makes it understandable. But during a recent storm he found a distraction, an antidote; a Bunnahabhain from Single Malts of Scotland.
New Riff Malted Rye Sherry Cask
Ogilvie’s been in a huff. Challenged by a lack of interesting bottles, he finds himself faced with shelves of taupe. Until a ‘consolation’ bottle of New Riff Malted Rye from a Sherry Cask lights up an evening.
Glasgow 1770 White Port
The Land of Doog is overrun by Hollywood as they film the reboot of Highlander. While he dreams at a distant peek at Henry Cavill’s abs, he slurps at Glasgow’s new White Port Small Batch. He’s content.
Glasgow 1770 Small Batch Amarone
In whisky, when is a finish not a finish? Fergie tackles a recent Small Batch form Glasgow and asks when it’s actually more like a secondary maturation. The 6yo Amarone ‘finish’ is in the glass.
Glasgow 1770 6yo Ruby Port Cask Finish
Charlie’s been around whisky just about long enough to realise he’s going to change his mind. He reflects on his scoring and how he nearly missed out by trying to give this Glasgow Port Cask away.
Ardnahoe 6yo Aqvavitae Small Batch
Even early in his exploration, Mason has accumulated bottles to tuck away for ‘a special occasion’. Then recent news came along and upended things. Time to crack this 6yo Ardnahoe.
Clydeside Napier
Charlie is on the hunt for whiskies that can engage both the purist and the pragmatist, without costing the earth. He finds one and, as is often the case, it was on his door step. The Clydeside Napier.
North Star Ardnamurchan 6yo
In far flung places, it can be costly to sate the desires of a whisky chaser, shipping trans-global style. But when Abbey dropped a North Star Ardnamurchan, Nick and Calder both went for it.
Spirit of Yorkshire 6yo Madeira
Doog’s annual sailing trips to Campbeltown with his sidekick Foosty have taken on different flavours of adventure every time. He shares part 1 at Cadenhead’s & a Spirit of Yorkshire that, in itself, takes him on a journey.
Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond
As close as we get to comedy; Ogilvie shares a nightmare dinner evening with a ‘whiskey’ theme. An event so traumatic, he needed the salve of this Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond to right himself once more.
Kingsbarns Duo
West-coast born, but East-coast dwelling, Charlie stands up for Scotland’s East Neuk. Over two Kingsbarns charmers he asks why there’s not more fuss made of their whisky renaissance.
Decadent Drinks April 2025 Outturn
Wally decides it’s his turn to try some outturn samples. This time it’s the Decadent Drinks Decadent Drams/Whiskyland April 2025 line up of Spirit of Yorkshire, Inchmurrin, Miltonduff & Imperial.
Ardnamurchan Trio
We often ensure new Ardnamurchan is directed through our resident Amber Prism. Wally ships Doog the Mezcal and he serves it up alongside two single cask crackers.
Watt Whisky Outturn
While Innes gives a run through on some of the late 2024 Watt Whisky releases, Wally chimes in after catching the latest release from Blacksmith & Jones: a docuseries all about Indy Bottlers.
Holladay Soft Red Wheat
Ogilvie has a problem; he’s running out of variety. With a ‘mere’ 34 bottles he feels the need to fortify things. He discovers a bottled-in-bond Holladay Wheated Bourbon...
Ardnamurchan Tyndrum
Dougie becomes cynical of super-dark whiskies. Not content with an inability to see the true colour of the Tyndrum Ardnamurchan single cask, he decants first, then reviews.